Most aircraft utilize hydraulic actuators to provide movement to the flaps and ailerons through a system of linkages. The actuating mechanism on many commercial airliners consists of a lead screw which moves a nut up and down the length of the screw thereby driving one or more brackets attached to the control surface assembly. On aircraft having multiple flaps, each flap is actuated by its own lead screw mechanism. Each lead screw is driven by a shaft running along the length of the wing through a bevel or worm gearbox.
This type of arrangement is mechanically complicated, heavy, expensive to manufacture and maintain. Furthermore it does not allow each flap segment to be individually activated, controlled or programmed. This invention describes a mechanism which overcomes the above mentioned shortcomings.